I am a 54 year old white male, 6’4”, 210lbs, and I have always been the picture of health and very physically active. I went for more than a decade without missing a day of work or feeling sick other than very minor ailments.

In May of 2004, I tripped at the garage floor/driveway drop-off seam (1 inch) and broke my left fibula. This was the first broken bone I had ever had, and I didn’t think much about it, recovered and was back on my feet in a little over a month, but I always seemed to be having a slight discomfort in the ankle area. Then I started to have a series of colds, sinus infections, flu, and in general just didn’t seem to have the energy that I had been accustomed to. My wife noticed my lack of physical stamina and some excessive bruising, and insisted that I visit my doctor. I finally got to the doctor in April of 2005, had a complete physical and discovered that my white cell, red cell and platelet counts were dangerously low. The doctor commented that he couldn’t believe I was able to function based on how low the counts were. At that time my counts were all at <15% of normal for an adult male.

I had the good fortune to be referred to Dr Ronald G Steis (http://www.atlantacancercare.com/bio_RSteis.asp) at Atlanta Cancer Care (http://www.atlantacancercare.com/default.asp) who immediately recommended a bone marrow biopsy. They quickly diagnosed me with HCL, and on May 17^th of 2005 I began a 24 hour/7 day treatment with Cladribine (2CdA) followed by an injection of Neulasta^® (pegfilgrastim). I actually felt good enough to continue to work until the 5^th day of my treatment, at which time I got so sick I went to bed and didn’t get up for 2 days. In the week following the removal of my intravenous tubes, I was totally wiped out physically, and too sick to walk, talk, eat, etc. At one point I considered going to the emergency room to die, but didn’t have the energy to dial 911. The only good news was that I was too sick to smoke, and quit cigarettes “cold turkey”. I have been nicotine free ever since. By the 1^st of June I began to turn around and felt good enough to get dressed and attempt to go out for a drive, but I only made it to the garage and then turned around and went back to bed.

The next few days were all up hill, and on the 5^th of June 2005 I went back to work part time. By the end of June I felt back to normal and had resumed my normal lifestyle.

Since my treatment in May 2005, I have had recurring bone and joint pain, skin rashes and excessive dry skin, etc. My old ankle injury also talks to me whenever the barometric pressure drops or it rains…I have always wondered if the broken leg was somehow related to my HCL, as it was such a silly way to have such a severe injury.   

I have also noticed that I am now VERY sensitive to all medications. If there is a side effect, I usually have it. I have also had my migraines return sporadically, after not experiencing one for over 20 years.

I have looked back at my history for some obvious causative factors, but can find none other than cigarettes. I have had very limited exposure to benzene or any other biohazards that I am aware of. It is also of note that my father was diagnosed with some type of acute leukemia in May of 1985 and then died suddenly of a brain aneurism while under going chemotherapy at Washoe Medical Center in Reno Nevada . I have attempted to recovery his medical records to determine what type of leukemia he had, but the hospital has been less than forthcoming with any information and keeps throwing up HIPPA as a roadblock. I suspect the records have been destroyed. 

Just an update. I had a complete blood work-up on 11-09-2006 and all of my counts are normal. I have no signs of recurrence and am not scheduled for a checkup until 6/2007. Other than the occasional moderate arthritis pain and bone pains, I feel fine. 

Feel free to contact me at my email at roswell52@gmail.com if I can be of assistance. 

Roswell52

Roswell, GA